Shumard oak tree named ‘ACNRT1’

ABSTRACT

A Shumard Oak tree named ‘ACNRT1’ and distinguished by having an upright, well-branched central leader and also capable of being reliably reproduced from vegetative cuttings.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: QuercusShumardii.

Variety denomination: ‘ACNRT1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of ShumardOak tree (Quercus Shumardii) which I have named ‘ACNRT1’.

Discovery

I discovered my new tree in the Spring, 2001 growing in a landscapedparking lot in the downtown area of Madison, Morgan County, Ga. The treewas grown from a 2″ caliper field-grown tree which was purchased in theSpring, 1985 from a commercial nursery in Morgan County, Ga. Thisnursery is no longer in business and the original source of the tree isunknown.

Propagation

‘ACNRT1’ was asexually propagated, at my direction, in the Summer, 2002,by softwood cuttings using standard propagation procedures. Theprocedures were performed at a nursery in Oconee County, Ga. Thispropagation, and the resulting progeny, have proven the characteristicsof my new variety to be firmly fixed. Further, these observations haveconfirmed my new variety represents a new and improved variety ofSchumard Oak, as particularly evidenced by the upright, well-bunchedhabit with a central leader, and which can be reliably asexuallypropagated.

Uniqueness

‘ACNRT1’ was observed to have an upright, well-branched habit with acentral leader. These characteristics distinguish my new tree from othertypical seedlings of Shumard Oak.

Use

‘ACNRT1’ was observed for a period of time and is believed to beparticularly useful in residential and commercial areas for streetplantings and lawns, in parks, and in other large areas, as well as insmaller plating areas. The narrow habitat of the ‘ACNRT1’ makes itsuitable for planting in areas not having space to accommodate a largespreading tree typical of the species, such as around buildings incommercial developments and in urban areas. The branching habit andcentral leader of the tree are an asset to growers who will benefiteconomically from a tree requiring less work to produce a quality,saleable tree with a sound structure. The tree has demonstrated anability to be grown in urban area by virtue of its present location. Itis now growing in a concrete island approximately 36 square feet in sizeand surrounded on all sides by a parking lot, parking lot driveway, anda sidewalk 4 feet from a city street. My new tree has survived andremained healthy in this environment since being planted in 1985.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Background

Seedling Shumard Oaks typically have a spreading canopy which is oftenopen in youth. My new cultivar differs from the species in that it hasan upright, well-branched habit with a central leader. Shumard Oaks arenative to a geographical area ranging from Kansas to southern Michigan,eastwardly to North Carolina, and southerly to Texas and Florida. Thetree grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9, and is considered aheat-resistant and drought-resistant tree. It prefers growing alongstreams, near swamps, or bodies of water in well drained soils. It willalso grow at higher elevations, in rockier soil. Shumard Oak tolerateshigh pH soil (pH=7.0-8.0) as compared to most other oaks which prefer amore acidic soil.

Industry Representative

Cultivated Shumard Oak is represented in industry by seedling material.Shumard Oak is very difficult to propagate asexually, and to theinventor's knowledge, there are no other clonally propagated ShumardOaks available. The parentage of my new tree is unknown, and becauseoaks are open-pollinated, it would be impossible to determine the maleparent. From a genetics viewpoint, it can be assumed that either one orboth of the parents have, or had, some combination of the form andbranching habits displayed by my new tree. However, I have never seenanother Shumard Oak that displays the upright, well-branched habit witha central leader as displayed by Shumard Oak tree ‘ACNRT1’. Rather, thespecies is typically pyramidal and coarsely branched in youth, becomingspreading in maturity. Trees will generally reach a height and width of40′-60′ and so have a height to width ratio of 1.0. After 18 years, thecurrent height of my tree is 30′ and its width is 15′. Its height towidth ratio is therefore 2.0. In my experience, no other seedling ofShumard Oak has displayed the growth habit of ‘ACNRT1’. My tree iscurrent 8.83″ in caliper at a height of 4′ above the ground. This lowaverage caliper increase of 0.38″ per year is likely due to its beingplanted in a non-irrigated urban site. Nursery grown Shumard Oaks inthis area have an average annual caliper increase of 0.75″ to 1.00″. Theprogeny of my new tree have performed similar to typical seedlingsShumard Oaks when grown in a nursery setting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS (PHOTOGRAPHS)

The accompanying photographs depict the color of the tree and thefoliage of my new variety as nearly as is reasonably possible to makethe same in a color illustration of this character.

FIG. 1 depicts the summer habit of the initially discovered tree of mynew variety showing the narrow, upright branching habit and canopy. Thisphotograph was taken in the Summer, 2003. At this time, the tree wasapproximately 23 years old, 30′ tall, 15′ wide, and 8.83″ in caliper 4′above the ground.

FIG. 2 depicts a close up of the branching habit and trunk of ‘ACNRT1’.

FIG. 3 depicts the upper leaf surface of ‘ACNRT1’.

FIG. 4 depicts the lower leaf surface of ‘ACNRT1’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The following is a detailed description of my new variety of Shumard Oakwith color terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticulture Society(R.H.S.) color chart, except where the context indicates a term havingits ordinary dictionary meaning. My new tree has not been observed underall growing conditions, and variations may occur as a result ofdifferent growing conditions. All the progeny of my new variety, insofaras has been observed, have been identical in all of the characteristicsdescribed below.

Other than as set out below, as of this time, no other characteristicshave been observed which are different from common Shumard Oaks whichhave been observed by the inventor.

Parentage: Seedling of unknown parentage grown from a 2″ caliperfield-grown tree purchased in the Spring, 1985 from Cedar Lane Farms inMorgan County, Ga.

Locality where grown and observed: A downtown parking lot in Madison,Morgan, Ga.

Leaves: typical of the species; i.e., alternate, simple, obovate toelliptic, acuminate, acute 7-9 lobes with deeply cut sinuses, 3-4″ wideby 4-6″ in height; dark green above like RHS Green 135A and glabrousbelow like RHS Green 137B; fall color typical of the species;yellow-bronze to slightly reddish; petiole: light green, 1½ to 2¼″ long.

Buds: typical of the species; imbricate, angle-ovoid, ¼-⅜″ long,glabrous, gray or straw-colored like RHS Greyed-green 197B, scalesappear waxed.

Flowers: typical of the species; monoecious, appearing on old or newgrowth; male flowers are greenish-yellow, pendant and clustered in 3-6″long catkins; individual flowers comprise a 4-7 lobed calyx whichencodes 6 or more stamens; staminate catkins emerge with the leaves andoffer no floral display. Female flowers are inconspicuous,brownish-green in color, occuring solitary or in few- to many-floweredspikes from the axils of the new leaves; individual flowers consist of a6-lobed calyx surrounding a 3-celled ovary, the whole of which ispartially enclosed in an involucre. Both male and female flowers areapetalous and asepalous.

Fruit: an acorn, typical of the species; ovate, ¾-1″ long and ½-¾″ side,short-stalked and covered only at the base by a gray-brown (RHS 199A)hemispherical-shaped involucral cap which covers approximately ⅓ of thebase of the acorn which is gray-orange (RHS 165A). The nut is striatedwith dark brown lines (RHS 200A).

Stem: typical of the species; gray-brown, glabrous; older stems aregreenish brown and have an onion-like sheathing of epidermis.

Trunk: typical of the species; graying like RHS Greyed-green 198A andsmooth, developing narrow, shallow ridges and furrows with age, like RHSGreyed-green 188A and RHS Greyed-green 197C.

Branching: very upright ascending branches, emerging at, andmaintaining, a 30° angle from the trunk.

Growth habit: narrow pyramidal with upright branching.

Root system: typical of the species, coarse but transplanting well;progeny have proved to be typical of the species.

Vigor: typical of the species; in production, averages up to 1″ caliperincrease per year.

Diseases: no disease problems have been observed on the parent or anyprogeny. This is typical of the species.

Pests: no insect problems have been observed on the parent or progeny.This is typical of the species.

The parent of my new Shumard Oak tree ‘ACNRT1’ has not been cloned.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Shumard Oak treenamed ‘ACNRT1’ substantially as shown and described, characterizedparticularly as to novelty by its upright, well-branched habit with acentral leader.